Despite my first “full-time week of hell” at my new job at Bruegger’s, I am still your “Kennection to All Things Wrestling” Ken Hill, bringing you all the updated coverage of tonight’s show, two weeks away from Hell In The Cell.

A week has come and gone. Will we hear Punk FINALLY announce who he wants to face between the devil he doesn’t know, “Hungry Man” Ryback, and the devil he knows, longtime rival John Cena, or will Mr. McMahon end up playing the Devil’s Advocate as he has so many times before?

The tag team tourney comes to an end as The Rhodes Scholars face off with Mysterio and Sin Cara to see who will face the tumultuous team of Team Hell No at HITC. Will the mental masterminds deduce a victory, or will the luchadors end up cracking a couple of eggheads?

All this and more as Raw’s LIVE coverage starts shortly…

– We start off recapping last week’s fight with Vince and Punk, before Ryback and Cena come out to stop him and Vince makes his ultimatum known.

– Video plays and pyros are go as we are LIVE from Nashville, and we find out that Punk’s made his decision and we’ll find out tonight, as Big Show comes out.

– Two weeks ago, Show was out for a debate with Sheamus that turned out to be a bad attempt at a joke to make Show look foolish. The only fool Show saw, as he demonstrates by showing last week’s fight with Sheamus, was Sheamus himself, who Show feels is in over his head. Show talks about the “scientific challenge” on Smackdown and how he didn’t want to embarrass Sheamus, but Sheamus asked for it and he shut him up, and says simply that he’ll be champion in two weeks. He then goes on to how people have tweeted him about his “45 second” title reign and that he’s sick of it and wants to erase it with one punch.

– Daniel Bryan and others watching from backstage. Bryan laments how Show hasn’t gotten over it and refuses to go out there. AJ pops up, citing how Daniel though of her as “unpredictable, but quirky” and thinks Show has a great idea. Bryan tries begging Kane for help, and gets laughed off. He ends up in a shouting match with everyone on the way to the ring for his match with Big Show.

Daniel Bryan v. Big Show

Show goes after Bryan right away with body shots, a biel, and throws him out of the ring to the floor as we go to break…

We’re back, as Bryan attempts a comeback, but Show locks in a bearhug. Bryan with elbows to the neck, but Show just tosses him off. Corner splash, but Bryan kicks Show’s kneecap to floor him. Bryan fires up with some big kicks, followed by a BUZZSAW for 2! Bryan backs up and nails TWO corner charge dropkicks. Bryan up for another, but Show catches him and drills him with a chokeslam for three.

Winner: Big Show (No real doubt here, as Show’s looking to steamroll his way to HITC, and beating the man who initially “made him look like a joke” is the best first step.

Before Show can even celebrate, Kane’s out and seemingly amused by the scene before him, but Show cocks the KO Punch for Bryan and the Big Red Machine’s in to protect his wayward partner and Show backs off.

We find out Punk’s decision for HITC…NEXT!!!

– Back from commercial, as we’re graced with Paul Heyman’s presence in the ring. Heyman notes the 330th day of Punk’s reign and gives an elaborate introduction to the WWE Champion. Punk describes last week as the perfect “microcosm” of how he’s been treated. Whether it’s Cena, Ryback, or even the fans, if you try and attack him verbally or physically, he will put you down. Vince felt like it was his turn, and Punk laments how Vince does things for Vince, and how he feels he victimized Vince so much, he won’t compete ever again and everyone should thank him for that. Then he goes on about how everyone treats him on and behind the scenes, displaying the HITC poster that shows him as a “Devil.” Compared to most people in the audience, he’s an angel. He talks about HITC and who he will face, Ryback, who really has no business being involved, or the man he’s broken down physically and verbally, John Cena. He stalls, and feels the audience is disrespecting him and decides to make a later decision, but then Vince comes out, uh oh!

– Vince was hoping Punk would’ve learned from last week, but he didn’t, as Vince specifically said if Punk didn’t make up his mind, he would, and Punk just blew it! Tonight, there will be a contract signing, and Vince will reveal right then and there who Punk will face. Heyman looks on like a sad panda, and Punk’s pissed.

– A rematch from last week’s physical match between Sheamus and Wade Barrett happens tonight. Please let it be No DQ…

– WWE Rewind features Alberto Del Rio bragging about being the new “Apex Predator” and getting rebuffed by Orton, leaving Ricardo to an RKO on the announcer’s table.

Brodus Clay v. Alberto Del Rio

Clay shrugs off Del Rio at the beginning, powering out each time Del Rio goes for the arm, but after Del Rio gets sent to the outside, he hangs up Brodus’s arm and hits him with an enziguri for two. Armbar by Del Rio, but Clay counters out. Shoulder block by Clay, but Del Rio ducks the next one, hits a codebreaker on the bad arm and locks in the Cross Arm Breaker for a quick submission.

Winner: Alberto Del Rio

– Backstage with Punk and Heyman. Paul’s trying to advise Punk that you can beat down Vince in the ring, but he’ll always win the war. Punk shrugs that notion off, and is adamant that he can fight Vince on different levels, and wants to challenge him to a fight again. Heyman’s unsure about this, but Punk shoos him off and orders him to tell Vince he wants him in the ring. Those who do not learn from history and all that…

– “Team CoBro” down to the ring as we have tag team action, NEXT!!!

Primetime Players v. Team CoBro

We’re back mid-match with Young trapping Santino in a headlock. Marella counters out with a suplex, and both make the tag to their partners. Ryder takes down Titus with a couple of clotheslines and a missile dropkick. Broski boot hits, but Young distracts on the pinfall. Santino tries to break it up, but gets a Gutcheck from Young. Ryder hits the Rough Ryder on Young, only to get the Clash of the Titus from the legal man for three.

Winners: The Primetime Players (Too short to really mean anything other than Young and O’Neil staying in the tag team hunt.)

Following the match, Slater, McIntyre, and Mahal come down for their weekly beatdown, this time on Ryder, and declare that they’re “bringing music back” and are now calling themselves the “3MB.”

– We’re reminded about the contract signing and Punk’s challenge to the Chairman.

– We recap the top of the hour, where Punk “blew” his decision of opponent for HITC and Vince plans to make it for him.

– Vickie and Dolph out now. Ziggler laments the idea of Ryback as a championship candidate and talks about what he’s had to go through to earn a title match. He calls Ryback a “flash in the pan” and that people won’t even remember him two weeks from now. If anyone deserves a title shot, it’s him. David Otunga, of all people, comes out, and says he should get the title shot, being as mentally strong as he is physically. The two argue until AJ comes out. She “respects” their opinions, but feel they should prove themselves physically against the man they have a problem with…FEED! ME! MORE!

Handicap Match: Ryback v. Dolph Ziggler & David Otunga

Ziggler blindsides Ryback with a dropkick, but Ryback comes right back with a shoulder block. Ziggler avoids a corner charge and tags in Otunga, who gets immediately dropped with a Meathook. Ryback stares down Ziggler, who says “Screw this!” and bails, leaving Otunga to the march and the Shellshock for the three count.

Winner: Ryback

– Backstage with Vince on the phone. Heyman comes into his office, sucking up to Vince in his attempts to get him to accept the match with Punk, where if Punk wins, he gets to pick his HITC opponent. Vince actually agrees, but then says the match isn’t with Punk, but with Heyman! Paul tries to beg off, but Vince kicks him out.

– AJ skipping along, and Matt Striker stops to talk to her, saying how “crazy” and “nuts” it is that he and Josh Matthews have been assaulted by Team Hell No the last couple of months and insists on an apology. AJ laughs it off, but “agrees” and says that Striker does deserve an apology…after his match with Kane. D’oh!

Non-title Match: US Champion Antonio Cesaro v. Justin Gabriel

Cesaro tells us pre-match that he doesn’t need the USA, but the US needs Cesaro. Nice. Sharp elbow to Gabriel, who comes back with a spin kick, only to get uppercut for his efforts. Mushroom stomp by Cesaro, then some shots in the corner, before laying Gabriel on the top turnbuckle for a vicious shoulder block to the midsection. Pair of gutbusters, then a reverse bearhug by Cesaro. Tights pull by Cesaro, then an elbow drop. Gabriel tries to counter with a couple of kicks, one of which Cesaro blocks. Cesaro shoves him to the corner, but Gabriel elbows him and hits an nice Asai DDT! Gabriel goes up for the 450, nails it, but Cesaro turns the shoulder up into Gabriel’s midsection so he doesn’t cover right away and gets his foot on the rope before the three count when Gabriel covers. Gabriel up again, but Cesaro KILLS him with an uppercut on the way down, and polishes off Gabriel with the Neutralizer for the pinfall.

Winner: Antonio Cesaro (Another impressive victory with a decently-known fodder opponent who can sell VERY well. THIS is how you push a dominant wrestler.)

– Fozzy’s “Sandpaper” is the theme for Hell In The Cell.

Matt Striker v. Kane

Striker tries to beg off, admitting he’s a broadcaster and not a wrestler anymore. He asks what Dr. Shelby would think, and insists that the WWE fans want “legitimate comeptition”, not “mindless carnage. Kane seems to be okay with this and wants to hug it out. Striker seems alright and goes along with it, but Kane starts hugging a little too hard for Matt’s liking and turns it into a chokeslam for three.

Winner: Kane

– We get a “post-match interview” from Kane, who applauds Matt for his efforts and gets a tired wheeze from Striker for a response, saying he couldn’t have said it better himself. He then goes into his “Tag Team Champions” spiel for a nice pop.

– We find out about a Eve vs. Layla match for the Divas Championship, and MizTV will come on next, with Miz’s next opponent for the IC Championship, Kofi Kingston, as his special guest. DRAAAAMAAAA!

– We’re back with MizTV. Miz asks that the audience not welcome but feel sorry for the guest that had the audacity to challenge him for the Intercontinental Championship. We then go to last week’s Main Event, where Kofi got the better of Miz. Miz questions what Kofi has really done in the last 5 years aside from forgettable tag teams, saying “Boom Boom Boom”, and having a laugh with Larry King, saying Kof’s done nothing memorable, that he’s a B-player. The truth hurts, don’t it? Kofi actually agrees, and says that beating Miz will be memorable and maybe even “must-see.” He feels he needs to step up his game, like tonight, and challenges Miz to a non-title match. Miz accepts, and says that Kofi will do what he always does, choke. He’ll always be stuck beneath the glass ceiling and be the guy kids get excited for and say “Boom!” Kofi decks him and knocks him out of the ring. Miz retreats as we find out the match is official.

– The Sheamus-Barrett rematch is NEXT!!!

– Advert for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Non-Title Match: World Champion Sheamus v. Wade Barrett

The two men circle each other and lock up, exchanging power holds in the corner. They lock up again, waist lock by Barrett, but Sheamus takes him down and pushes him into the corner. Barrett clocks him with a right hand and attacks the arm, but Sheamus turns it around into a keylock. Barrett counters out, but Sheamus ducks and hits a clothesline. Sheamus goes for the 10 shots, but Barrett hangs him up on the ropes. Barrett with a pumphandle drop for two. Barrett into a headlock now. Sheamus counters out, Barrett shoves him off, but Sheamus comes back with an Irish Hammer and a Finlay Roll. Barrett tries to retreat out the ring, but the World Champ follows with a shoulder block to the outside. Show’s music hits, and the giant comes out with chair in hand as Sheamus looks on apprehensively and we go to break…

Back from commercial. As Show watches on, Barrett counters a Sheamus attack and tosses him to the apron. Sheamus surprises him with the Ten Shots, but Barrett tries walking it off. He tries to throw Sheamus into the steps, but Sheamus dodges them and Barrett retreats into the ring. As Sheamus gets up to the apron, Barrett levels him a knee lift and a STIFF kick to the midsection. Sheamus just gets in by the 9 count. Barrett ties up Sheamus in the ropes for knee lifts and his trademark big boot. Barrett slams Sheamus into the announce table and roll him back in for a two count. Sheamus tries to fight out, and counters with an Irish Curse to get a breather. Both men back up. Sheamus fires up with some Irish Hammers, a knee lift, and a Bulldog Powerslam for two! Sheamus gets the full Ten Shots this time, and hits a suplex for a near fall. Shot to Barrett in the corner, Barrett reverses the whip, nails a clothesline, then drops a second-rope elbow for a close near fall. Barrett pulls Sheamus up for Wasteland, Sheamus falls off and tries for the Brogue Kick, but Barrett ducks and hits the Winds of Change for a CLOSE two count! Barrett counters a charge by Sheamus, who tries heading up top for a shoulder block. Barrett ducks it, but Sheamus rolls through and attempts an Irish Cloverleaf. Big Show marches down to the ring, and Sheamus prepares to defend himself. Sheamus tries for White Noise on Barrett, who slips out. Sheamus goes off the ropes, only to go over when Show pulls them for the DQ.

Winner: Sheamus

– Big Show rolls Sheamus back in for Barrett to pick the bones, but Sheamus comes back with a Brogue Kick on Wade and muscles Show out of the ring, standing tall!

– We’re backstage with Vince, who meets up with Cena, and asks for the prognosis on Cena’s arm. Cena says it frankly doesn’t matter since Vince hasn’t listen to doctors before, particularly last week when he faced Punk. Cena actually feels Vince did the right thing, as that was where he belonged, just like Cena belongs in the ring. No matter what percent he’s at, he’ll be ready for Vince’s choice.

Divas Championship: Eve Torres (c) v. Layla

A scuffle from the two ladies at the beginning, then some shoving. Eve with a knee, then a headlock takeover. Layla fights out, but Eve counters into an armbar. Layla fighting out again with some kicks, Eve locks the arm back in, the Layla tries locking the arm in, but gets tossed to the outside. Eve slams Layla into the apron and rolls her back in for a two count. Snapmare and a front kick for a two count. Grapevining the legs gets Eve another two count. Short arm leg scissors by Eve into a headscissors, which Eve uses to drop Layla on her head. Layla breaks the hold on the ropes. Eve with a choke into the ropes. Layla counters with a elbow and a roundhouse kick for two. COuple of facebusters, folllowed by a springboard cross body for a near fall. Eve barrels Layla into the corner, but gets a boot. Layla up on the ropes, Eve trips her and pins her, the ref apparently missing Layla’s foot on the rope as he counts three.

– Backstage with the delightful Team Hell No. Bryan argues that he couldn’t watch Kane beat up Matt Striker because Kane laughed at him getting beat up by the Big Show, and thinks that Kane should face Show if thinks it’s so funny, and says that HE’s the tag team champions.

– Vince backstage with Ryback, who pretty much has three words for Vince. “FEED. ME. PUNK!” I’m convinced.

– We find out Mysterio has a touch of the flu and can’t compete, so the Tag Team Championship #1 Contender
finals are being held off until next week’s Raw. Meanwhile, Team Rhodes Scholars is in action for a warm-up, NEXT!!!

– At Honky Tonk Central in Nashville, “3MB” suddenly crashes the stage and tries to rock out, but get booted out.

Rhodes Scholars v. The Colons w/Rosa Mendes

Primo starts off with a dropkick on Rhodes for a two count. Epico tags in for some boots, then Primo comes back in with a senton for two. Rhodes reverses a whip, then nails a Holly shot, followed up by a Sandow cheap shot behind the ref’s back, for two. Tag to Sandow, who grounds Primo. He tries to slip out, but Sandow picks the ankle and tags in Cody, who hits a fist drop for two. Tag back to Sandow, who drops the Elbow of Disdain for two. Tag to Cody, who puts the boots to Primo for a two count. More boots to the side of Primo’s head, but Primo counters a shot, only to get pushed into Rhodes’ corner. Sandown in with some rights, Primo tries to fight back, but gets drop toe hold by Sandown. Cody in again with a stomp, then a uppercut forearm for two. Cody locks the leg and tags in Sandow, who covers for two. Sandow tries a kick, but Primo rolls through and makes the hot tag to Epico, who comes in with some kicks and a pair of sambo suplexes. Rhodes breaks up the pinfall, only for Primo to take him out of the ring. Sandow reverses a whip by Epico, Epico gets the elbow up, cross body misses, and Sandow hit the Terminus (“The End”) for three.

Winners: The Rhodes Scholars (A formulaic, but convincing win for the Rhodes Scholars in what turned out to be an impromptu match due to Mysterio calling in sick.)

Non-Title Match: IC Champion The Miz v. Kofi Kingston

Kofi takes Miz down right away, and Miz retreats to the outside, where Kofi follows with a clothesline. Back in the ring, Kofi follows up with a running dropkick and pressing his boot into Miz in the corner. Miz comes back with a takedown and some boots. Kofi tries to fight out, but Miz nails his corner clothesline splash, followed by an axe handle for two. Headlock by Miz into a back suplex, which Kofi counters for a two count. Another roll-up for two. Miz comes back with his backbreaker-neckbreaker combo for a two count. Reverse headlock by Miz. Kofi fights out with body shots and a back suplex to break the hold. Kofi fires up with some chops, the Superman punch, but Miz rolls out of the Boom Drop. Kofi waylays him with a kick, tries for the SOS, Miz tries the SCF, Kofi fights out, Miz charges, Kofi pivots, and BOOM…Trouble in Paradise gets three. That shot looked like it hurt, and Miz may have taken a legitimate shot to the head as he’s the faraway look in his eye.

Winner: Kofi Kingston (Good, short match that doesn’t give too much away for their title match, but now I wonder if the match will happen anyway. That shot on Miz looked like it hit HARD.)

– Advert for The Rolling Stones: One More Shot

– Vince McMahon for the WWE Title match at HITC, and introduces Punk, who’s none too pleased as he comes out along with Heyman. Then Vince introduces the man with “an insatiable appetite”, RYBACK! Then, JOHN CENA! Both look anxious to sign the contract and tear into Punk. Punk feels Vince has gone off the deep end by taking away his right to decide, and signs because Vince will do what he wants anyway. Vince implies that if Punk had just accepted Cena’s challenge, they wouldn’t be here right now. Punk starts in on Cena and Vince, but Cena just tells him to shut the hell up. As much as he wants the WWE Title, Cena sees that Ryback wants to beat down Punk. Cena feels that Punk, more than anyone, deserves a good ass whippin’ and for the next two weeks, Punk will be haunted by three words: FEED! ME! MORE! As Cena leads the chant, Ryback approaches the table and signs the contract. Punk mouths off to Ryback, who SLAMS Punk into the table, throws it aside, channels the crowd, and the “Big Hungry” SHELLSHOCKS the WWE Champion! The crowd is in a riot as Michael Cole signs off.

– End show (Just like last week, a good, all-around show and an awesome ending with the crowd going nuts. Ryback’s got Cena and McMahon’s on-screen push, he’s MEGA over with the audience, and Punk’s absolutely scared shitless of the man. “The Big Hungry” has arrived.Rating: 8.0/10